


The One with Emma Swan's Infuriating Lab Partner

by queenssaviour



Series: Swan Queen Week (Winter 2016) [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - High School, Bi Regina, F/F, Gay Emma, Homophobia, Hook and Arthur are there for like two seconds, Racism, Slurs, Some Humor, Some angst, Swan Queen Week, Swan Queen Week Winter 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 11:05:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5926131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenssaviour/pseuds/queenssaviour
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Hand me the scalpel. I'll just cut this heart out myself."</i>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <i>"Stop calling me Miss Swan," Emma responds as she hands her lab partner the scalpel. "My name is Emma. You talk like you're sixty."</i></p><p> </p><p>  <i>"Thank you for your input."</i></p><p> </p><p>High school AU. Written for Swan Queen Week, Day 7: Pride</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my beta, Ari (swanedmills on tumblr). You make my stuff readable tbh.
> 
> I tried to make this a oneshot, but failed, so this fic will be three chapters long in total. It won't have that much to do with pride until the last chapter, but I promise it'll be there and this was 100% prompted by this Swan Queen Week. This is super late, though, and I'm really sorry for that.
> 
> Anyway, this is my first AU, so I really hope it's not a total mess.
> 
> I don't own any of the characters etc.

Emma's lab partner is infuriating.

That's the word said lab partner uses on her one day, which makes Emma huff in response. The feeling is mutual.

"I don't know what your problem is," Emma says. "I misread one little thing, and I'm sorry."

"I'm sure you are, Miss Swan. Hand me the scalpel. I'll just cut this heart out myself."

"Stop calling me Miss Swan," she responds as she hands her lab partner the scalpel. "My name is Emma. You talk like you're sixty."

"Thank you for your input," a cold voice responds.

Emma exhales loudly as she fights the urge to run out of class. She's tried that before, which only got her a visit to principal Gold's office.

Her lab partner's name is Regina, which, according to her friend Mary Margaret means queen in Latin. It honestly suits her quite well because ever since the other girl moved from her old private school to finish her senior year in Storybrooke High, she has been walking down the halls in designer clothes in such a regal manner that she could honestly pass for a queen.

Emma doesn't know why Regina moved to their school in the first place. She's pretty sure Regina's parents could afford a private education — her mother is the CEO of a large company and her father is from a wealthy family — but Emma isn't dumb enough to ask Regina about it. In fact, she isn't dumb enough to try to talk to her at all unless it's completely necessary.

"She won't even call me Emma. I don't know what her problem is," Emma vents to her friends on their lunch break. She's eating a dry sandwich her foster mother gave her in the morning. Her current family isn't the best she's had, but they're not the worst either. They mostly just don't care about anything she does, which is better than those few downright abusive families she's spent periods of time with.

"Oh, let me guess. We're talking about Regina again," her friend Ruby says. She's smirking, seeming way too amused for Emma's liking. Why can't she just take this seriously?

"Ruby, seriously. She's making those classes hell. She hates me for no reason. I honestly don't know why."

"Didn't you spill coffee on her once?"

"That was one time!" Emma retorts.

"I'm just saying it doesn't make a great first impression," Ruby points out before popping a grape into her mouth.

Emma sighs. She finds it incredibly unfair that she's being punished for being clumsy.

"You know, if this were a romantic comedy, you two would be together by the end of the movie," their friend Mary Margaret says dreamily without raising her gaze from the book she's reading. "I wish something like that would happen to me too."

"You want someone to spill coffee on you?" Ruby almost laughs. She's the complete opposite of the calm and timid Mary Margaret, although they are both strong-willed and kind.

"What? I don't _like_ Regina," Emma says right after realizing what her friends are saying. She most definitely doesn't. Just because Regina looks like a goddess from the high heavens doesn't mean Emma likes her or would _ever_ feel that way about her. Regina is a pain in her ass. And Emma is straight.

"Sure, Emma," Ruby says, smirking at her again. Emma is getting tired of Ruby's smirk.

"I don't. She's a nightmare!"

"You talk about her so much you could fool me, but okay." Ruby shrugs before she eats another grape. "Anyway, you two wanna go to Aurora's party this Saturday? She asked me in math. I think she may just be grateful because I keep her awake every time she's falling asleep in class, but maybe we could be friends. She said I could bring you two."

* * *

Storybrooke is a small town where nothing really happens, but Emma is actually quite content there. She was sure she would be going back to Augusta before she'd know it, but she's stayed with two families in the small coastal town, and her current family is alright. Sometimes she can't believe she's been here almost two years and is about to graduate high school in June.

What makes Storybrooke bearable is the fact that she's actually made some good friends. She's been alone her whole life, an orphan no one's really wanted, tossed from one family to another, but here she has Ruby and Mary Margaret. She can't remember having close friends after she and Lily separated at the age of fifteen.

She'd met Mary Margaret on her second day in town. The girl had immediately taken Emma under her wing and offered to show her around Storybrooke. She met Ruby later that same day when Mary Margaret's tour had taken them to Granny's, a diner Ruby's grandmother owned.

Now, the three of them are knocking on the door of Aurora's parents house (no, _mansion,_ Emma corrects herself _)_ and are soon greeted by the 17-year-old redhead.

"Ruby! I'm so glad you came," Aurora says when she opens the door. She's holding a red plastic cup as she gives a scantily-clad Ruby a one-armed hug. "And you brought your friends. Welcome!"

"Hi, Aurora" Emma says awkwardly. She's not sure why she agreed to go to this party. The fact that someone lives in a house this big just seems unreal to her. She's been a child of the foster system all her life meanwhile some kids who actually go to her school live like this. For a second, she wonders why Aurora even goes to public school with them, but then she remembers that the closest private school, Brocéliande Academy, is nearly two hours away.

"Emma, right? Nice to have you here!" She gives Emma a hug too, which Emma responds to awkwardly. The usually stern and stubborn Aurora seems quite different when she's drinking. "And Mary Margaret!" Aurora hugs her next. "It's been too long. I haven't seen you outside school in ages."

"Yeah, it's been a while," Mary Margaret smiles. Emma remembers Mary Margaret telling her their parents would have playdates sometimes when Mary Margaret and Aurora were young, but they had kind of drifted apart without any hard feelings.

"Anyway, I hope you enjoy the party. If you need anything, you can ask me, Phil, or Mulan," she chirps and flies away to greet more guests.

"Okay, so Phil is the boyfriend?" Emma asks Ruby.

"Yeah, and Mulan is the best friend of the boyfriend who's also become friends with Aurora."

"Yeah, got it," Emma responds. She has seen Mulan at the school gym and the trio in the hallways. They seem rather inseparable.

"Oh, my God. Look who's here," Ruby points towards the doorway on the other side of the hall.

Emma raises her gaze from the punch bowl and spots three girls who go to Brocéliande Academy. Emma isn't really sure why they're at Aurora's party, because if she's correct, one of the girls (called Mal, she thinks) and Aurora had some sort of feud in the past. She still isn't sure why Ruby is making such a big deal of their arrival until Emma sees there's a fourth person in their company: Regina.

"I thought she kept to herself and didn't come to any of these parties," Ruby continues. "Although she just started at the school, so maybe that's why we're only seeing her here now. Look who she's with, though."

"Regina and I used to be such good friends when we were younger. She wasn't much older than me, but I still saw her as a big sister," Mary Margaret says wistfully. "I don't know what happened. She seems to be so irritated with me now and doesn't talk to me unless she has to."

"Yeah, well, I don't know if that's really your fault, Mary Margaret. She seems to be that way with ev…" Emma starts, but Regina seems like a different person around Mal and her gang. She's smiling and smirking, her annoyance completely gone. She looks really good, completely objectively speaking, of course, the cleavage of her expensive-looking dress almost reaching her stomach and her heels making her taller than usual. Her lips are dark red and Emma doesn't know why she can't stop staring.

"Be careful not to get any drool on your shirt," says Ruby, pulling Emma from her thoughts. She downs the rest of her drink and gives Emma another one of her smirks.

"What?"

"I said your crush is showing. Keep it cool, Swan," Ruby continues as she pours herself more punch.

"I don't have a crush!"

"Sure, Emma," Ruby responds. "I'm just saying I see what you see in her."

"Ruby, please," Emma says.

"So you don't mind if I try to hit on her, then?" Ruby asks playfully.

Emma thinks Ruby wouldn't do that, even though she recently broke up with her boyfriend and has told Emma she doesn't really care about gender when it comes to attraction. Ruby just jokes like this all the time. Emma knows she wouldn't actually go after someone she thinks Emma has a crush on.

Not that Emma has a crush. She totally does not.

"Of course I don't mind," Emma responds, but her voice sounds fake and too high even to her own ears.

"Oh, my god. David is here," Mary Margaret interrupts them.

"David?" Emma says. She can't remember any David.

"Wait, _that_ David?" Ruby asks. "The one you fought over that book with, but then he let you have the book?"

Oh, that David. Emma had been infuriated with Regina when Mary Margaret had been telling the story, so she couldn't remember the guy's name, even though Mary Margaret had seemed inexplicably charmed.

"You should go talk to him," Ruby says, and Emma nods. David seems like a nice enough guy.

"You think so?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Yeah," Ruby whispers. "He and Kathryn broke up, as you know, and she's dating Fredrick from the football team. _Go!"_

"Okay," Mary Margaret says, her fingers white from gripping her purse. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "I'm going."

Mary Margaret leaves them, and they can see her reach David on the other side of the room. He seems to be pleasantly surprised by her arrival. He smiles at Mary Margaret and laughs at something she says, and yeah, maybe their friend who's always reading about finding true love and watching romantic comedies will find her Prince Charming there.

Emma shakes her head at the expression, but it's the one Mary Margaret uses. Finding her Prince Charming.

"So, I think you should go talk to Regina," Ruby says after a while.

"Do you want me to get brutally murdered at this party? She'd probably rip my heart out for even trying to talk to her." She thinks of the frog heart Regina dissected two days ago in lab with a smile on her lips. "Or maybe poison me. Besides, I don't want to talk to her. Why would I wanna talk to her? I don't like girls, and she's the worst. She's…"

"Excuse me, Miss Swan, but if you're not taking any more punch, it's rude to block the way so other people can't either."

Emma turns around and finds Regina's standing right behind her. Just her luck. Ruby seems to be fighting a giggle. Traitor.

"Hey, you're Emma's lab partner, right?" Ruby says as nonchalantly as she can manage. Emma is getting ready to strangle her friend.

Regina nods as she pushes past Emma to the punch bowl. Her movements seem a bit less graceful than in lab, so Emma guesses she'd already had something to drink before arriving at the party.

"Emma has told me so much about you," Ruby continues.

"Has she now?" Regina says, her eyebrow raised as she takes a sip of her drink. Emma wants to disappear. Whatever Ruby has planned, it can't be good.

"Yes. I get the idea that you're very efficient and smart and good at lab. And that you're pretty. It was somewhere between the lines there," Ruby shrugs and waves her arm, almost splashing alcohol on Regina, but unlike Emma, actually managing to hold the beverage in its designated cup. "Emma has taught me to read between the lines."

Emma wants the ground to swallow her up. What the hell is Ruby doing? She could potentially make her lab classes even worse than they already are.

"Is that true, Miss Swan?" Regina asks, her perfectly sculpted dark eyebrow still raised. She seems almost amused, which really looks good on her, her lips curving —

Emma, _focus._

"Well, you're very efficient." Emma shrugs and hopes the conversation is over. She can feel her face getting redder by the minute, and she really hopes the dim light of the room will cover her blush.

"I see. Well, if you don't mind, I need to go to my friends. We have less time to see each other now that I've transferred." She takes a look at the trio sitting on the leather couch in the middle of the room. "See you in class, Miss Swan."

"She likes you!" Ruby whispers after Regina has sat down on the couch next to her friends.

"Did you just hear the conversation we had?" Emma asks. Ruby is being ridiculous.

"Yes. She does. I have a sixth sense." Ruby nods as she plays with her wolf-shaped necklace. "And you like her."

"I do not!" Emma is getting really tired of this. Why would she like Regina? She's a pain in the ass, and a _girl_ , and…

"What are two pretty ladies like yourselves doing standing here all alone?" a heavily accented voice asks from behind Emma.

"Well, we're standing here together, so we're not really alone," Emma asserts after turning around and seeing who she's dealing with. It's Killian Jones, the guy who sits in front of her in history. Another pain in her ass, although he takes it to another level. Where Regina is a rude control freak who can't stand Emma, Killian doesn't seem to want to leave her alone as he keeps asking her out on a date on a weekly basis even though she declines his invitation every single time. He uses stupid penis metaphors that he thinks are funny and never forgets to mention how dashingly handsome he is.

"Aye, you've got that right, Swan," he responds, but shows no intention of leaving. He pours some punch into his cup before pulling a flask out of his pocket. "Some rum to spice the drink up," he explains and Emma fights the urge to roll her eyes. Killian has a weird pirate fixation, only he would carry rum around. "So how about that date next Friday?"

"For the hundredth time, no, Killian," she sighs. What does she have to say to make him understand he does nothing for her? She doesn't want go on a date with him, and she can't understand why the guy can't understand that no means no, not "try harder."

"We could leave this party now, too. I'd show you a good time at my place. Interested?" he asks. He winks at her in a way he must think is irresistible, making Emma fight a scoff and eye roll. He doesn't even have his own place.

Before Ruby and Emma can think up an escape plan, Regina walks over to them. She rocks her six inch heels even though she doesn't appear particularly sober.

"Is there a problem here?" she asks, her eyes fixed on Killian.

"There's no problem," Killian replies, a dumb smirk still plastered all over his face. "Would _you_ like to join us for an afterparty? The more the merrier. I've always wanted to be with a Latina."

He probably really shouldn't have said that, because the next moment, Regina is face to face with Killian. Despite her drunken state and the fact that she's shorter than Killian, she sounds absolutely terrifying when she tells him, "Leave this party and my friends alone, or I'll destroy you if it is the last thing I do."

Emma isn't sure how Regina can pull off a line like that and still be taken seriously even though she's drunk, but it works because Killian leaves surprisingly fast without even saying goodbye. Emma feels both grateful and impressed.

"So, we're your friends now?" Emma asks when Regina has finished refilling her cup.

"Don't push it, Miss Swan," she says as she leaves, but her tone doesn't have its usual malice in it and Emma could swear Regina almost smiles at her.

* * *

Emma dreams of Regina that night. She dreams of her smile and the scar on Regina's upper lip and how it would feel to press her mouth against Regina's. She dreams of the dress that looks really good on her body and her smooth olive skin. She dreams of her breasts and how it would be to bring her hands on them and touch them. How it would be to feel her bra and her nipples underneath the fabric and what Regina would smell and taste like if they kissed.

Emma wakes up from her dreams breathing heavily. She shakes her head and blames the alcohol and the ideas Ruby has been putting in her head. People have had weirder dreams. _She_ has had weirder dreams. Once, she had a dream that Mal turned into a dragon and she had to fight her with a sword. There's nothing weird about having a sexual dream about someone attractive. Even if they're a girl.

* * *

That's what Emma keeps telling herself until she's in lab next Monday and Regina sits down next to her. She shoots Emma a small smile, something she's never done before, and Emma feels her stomach flip and her cheeks get all hot. What's going on? This is ridiculous. She curses her dreams and Ruby.

Regina's shiny black hair smells like apples (not that Emma is paying any attention to that) and her perfectly manicured short nails are dark red. She's wearing a… ring on her ring finger, and before Emma can stop herself, she's asking, "Are you engaged?"

When there's no answer, Emma turns to look at Regina. She seems startled by the question.

"Sorry, that's none of my business…" Emma starts apologizing, hoping her question hasn't ruined all the progress they've made so far.

Why is it so important to her that Regina doesn't hate her?

"It's a promise ring," she responds, not looking at Emma. "His name was Daniel. He passed away. I still wear the ring… I guess I'm not ready to let go yet."

Emma is shocked by both what has happened to Regina and the fact that decided to share it with Emma. "Um, I'm really sorry. That's terrible."

"Yes, well. Thank you."

They sit in silence, waiting for the class to start. Emma isn't sure why she got there 10 minutes early, anyway.

"How about you?" Regina asks, her tone lighter.

"How about me what?"

"Are you seeing anyone? I'm guessing not Killian Jones, at least. You seem to have better taste than to go out with him." Regina almost chuckles, and Emma is enthralled by the sound.

"Um, yeah, no. He's gross," she responds, confused by why Regina wants to know anything about her romantic life. "I used to go out with Neal. You know, Neal Gold? The principal's kid. Yeah, we sorta had a thing in sophmore year, but we worked better as friends." Emma is happier as friends. She had felt like there had been something missing. Neal is now dating one of the girls from the swim team, Tamara, who's quite possibly an actual goddess and also the best swimmer on the team. Emma is happy for them. "We got a goldfish named Bug, and he still has it."

"Why did you name a goldfish Bug?" Regina seems surprisingly interested.

"Um, well. There was this yellow Volkswagen Beetle. You know, a Bug, that we once saw and contemplated stealing. We didn't, but we named the goldfish Bug instead. It would've been that or Henry."

"Henry is not a name for a goldfish," Regina says. Emma isn't sure if she's appalled or amused. "My dad's name is Henry."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, I actually moved to this school because he's sick and it's closer to home. Mother was distraught. She told me I couldn't possibly go to a public school after everything she's done and planned for me." Regina rolls her eyes. "But I'm not leaving dad right now."

Emma nods and waits for Regina to tell her more about herself. She keeps talking and answers so many questions Emma's never dared ask. Emma finds out Regina has a lovely father and mother who wants to make all of Regina's decisions for her. She also has an older sister who's moved to London and is currently working as an assistant stage manager for Wicked.

Regina's situation is so different from Emma's. Emma's been tossed from one group home and foster family to another without really being able to grow roots. Even though she now has Ruby and Mary Margaret and they're like family to her, Emma is more than aware of her abandonment issues; she feels like no one really wants her around for long term.

"So, why did he get Bug?" Regina asks her when Arthur, a classmate Emma would want to go nowhere near, slouches down in his usual seat in front of her.

"What?"

"You said he got your fish. Why didn't you?" Regina specifies.

Emma is amused Regina is even thinking about that. "Oh, I was just about to move to a new foster home back then, so it was better that way," she admits truthfully.

"I see," Regina responds. Her expression doesn't change after Emma mentions she's a foster kid, but she changes the topic. "I would like to name my son Henry. After my father."

"You want kids?" Emma asks. She hasn't thought about that for herself yet. She feels like she wouldn't know how to be a mother because no one's really been a mother to her.

"Definitely," Regina responds as their teacher, Mr. Whale, walks into class to begin the lab.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ari ( [swanedmills](http://swanedmills.tumblr.com/) on tumblr) for beta reading.
> 
> Trigger warnings for racism, homophobia (a slur), and losing a parent, I guess?

Emma can't stop thinking about Regina. She looks forward to their classes more than anything else, which is saying something since she most definitely does not excel in lab. Touching Regina's hands even for a moment when they're working sends tingles down her spine, and Regina's smile makes her smile.

It's totally possible to have a platonic friend crush like this, right?

"Um, Emma, no. You sound like you have a big-ass crush on Regina fucking Mills and you should face that already," Ruby responds to her question. "It's been two months, Emma."

"But… I don't like girls," Emma tries to argue, but her mantra is starting to sound fake even to her own ears. She keeps dreaming and daydreaming about Regina and how it would feel to kiss her and maybe wrap her arms around Regina's waist and feel the heat of her body against hers. And smell her. Regina smells very good.

"Emma," Ruby says. "I think you do."

So Emma thinks about it. She consults Google and wonders if maybe she could be bisexual or pansexual. She thinks she _has_ to at least be bisexual because she was with Neal over a year ago. But with Neal she didn't feel any of these strong feelings she does when she's around Regina, the weird pull to just touch her and be close to her. It was different with Neal; it was nice, but she didn't feel attraction so much as she enjoyed the companionship and the joy of feeling wanted.

She feels so lost when she tries to think of a future with a man instead of Regina or some other girl. The thought of forcing different men onto herself starts to disgust her the more she thinks about it. She just wants to scream. She doesn't want to be going through any of this, but she has to. She has to try to accept that she likes girls. Only girls.

So many thoughts come to her. What if everyone starts hating her? Or find her disgusting when she tells them? What if this is just a phase? What if there's something wrong with her and she can't be fixed?

She shakes her head. She's never been homophobic herself, never thought badly about same-sex couples, so why is she thinking all these things? This doesn't feel like a phase, and she knows there's nothing wrong with being gay or a part of any other sexual minority, but she is just so tired. Maybe it's hard to accept this because she just doesn't like herself much to begin with.

Eventually, her thoughts drift to Lily. There had been a very brief yet intense friendship between the two of them, accompanied by something more. She had wanted to be close to Lily, to be wanted by her in return, although she hadn't thought much of it back then.

Their friendship had come to an abrupt end after an unfortunate incident where Emma's radically religious foster dad walked in on their first kiss. It hadn't been anything serious, just "to practice for boys," as Lily had put it, just to know what it felt like, but nevertheless Emma had been sent to her next foster home and hadn't seen Lily since.

* * *

The first people she comes out to are Ruby and Mary Margaret. She thinks about telling her former foster brother, August, first, but he's in Thailand doing God knows what and he's pretty hard to get a hold of, so she decides to tell him later and start with her two friends.

"So, I'm gay," she says as they're sitting in the school cafeteria. She's staring down at her food when she says it, because looking at her friends seems too hard right then, even though she knows they would never judge her for her sexuality.

Saying the words feels oddly liberating, too, saying it out loud for the first time and admitting it to herself completely. It makes it feel more real.

"Aw, Emma, we kinda thought you might be," Ruby says as she brings her arms around her.

"Yes, and it's good to figure it out now and talk about it. Remember we don't think any differently of you," Mary Margaret says from the other side of the table. She sounds like she's been practicing a response.

"Did you google coming out or something?" Emma asks Mary Margaret as she leans on Ruby.

"As a matter of fact, I did, yes. I feel like for you it's different than Ruby. She's known how she identifies since always, but for you this was a big step," Mary Margaret says matter-of-factly. "I knew the moment you became so obsessed with Regina."

"Oh, my God. Stop," Emma says and buries her face on Ruby's shoulder. Mary Margaret is acting like the mother she never had. Despite her momentary embarrassment, Emma is actually very grateful for her friends and the trouble Mary Margaret has gone through.

"Thanks, you guys," she adds, her line of sight still blocked by Ruby's shoulder. After a moment of silence, she finally raises her head. "Yeah, I'm so gay," she says, and this time it's easier.

Unfortunately, Arthur from her lab class happens to walk past them right then. Emma wonders if he's heard what she said, knowing that coming out to the wrong people can lead to severe bullying. She's just really not ready for the whole school to know, and Arthur, who's a homophobe and a racist, is probably one of the last people she wants finding out.

* * *

She doesn't have to wonder if Arthur heard what she said for long.

"Hey, it's the dyke and the Mexican," Arthur mocks as he sits in front of Emma and Regina in their next lab class.

Arthur's insult makes panic rise inside Emma. Even though she's been thrown into conflicting situations where people have treated her badly all her life, she feels so fragile at this point that she's not sure what to say.

"Excuse me?" Regina says, regaining her composure faster than Emma.

"Or wait," Arthur laughs, looking pensive as he obviously tries to come up with the punchline of his next joke. "Would you rather be called a dyke too?"

"I think that word isn't for you to use," Regina snaps back. "And I'm Puerto Rican, you imbecile."

Arthur looks somewhat seems somewhat taken aback by Regina's response, and he isn't the only one. Emma can't help but to look at Regina in awe.

"So," Regina continues. "I would suggest you don't spread any information about Miss Swan's business unless you want everyone, Gwen included, to find out the real reason you were kicked out of school and wound up here." Regina flashes him a terrifying smile.

Arthur mutters under his breath as he turns around to face the front of the class.

"Do you often terrify guys senseless with your words, or do I just happen to be around those rare times it happens?" Emma asks, remembering Aurora's party and Regina's ability to scare Killian off.

Regina doesn't answer Emma but just smirks at her. It's the most beautiful smirk in the world, and Emma wonders how she could ever think she just wanted to be friends with Regina.

* * *

Weeks pass, but Emma does absolutely nothing about her crush. How could she? Regina sees her as a friend, is most likely super straight, and still wears her promise ring. She's now made a necklace out of it, though, so Emma guesses she's starting to get over the worst of her grief.

Regina even tells her how Daniel died from a head injury when he fell off a horse. He and Regina had been star-crossed lovers, Regina's mother being really adamant it wasn't suitable for Regina to be seeing someone from a family as poor as Daniel's because her daughter should be with someone rich and important.

Emma also finds out why Regina is not very fond of Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret once told Regina's mother, Cora, she'd seen Regina together with Daniel at the stables, not knowing it had been a secret. This lead to Cora trying to separate Regina and Daniel and ruining the rest of the little time they had together before Daniel passed away.

Regina tells Emma her mother is constantly trying to set her up with every eligible bachelor she knows. She's last suggested Mary Margaret's widowed father, who's at least 50 years old, but Regina swears she isn't going to marry any of her mother's candidates. She wants to marry for love.

"And these aren't the dark ages, you know. She can't force me to marry some old man," Regina concludes, and Emma is incredibly happy Regina is keeping her head on straight despite how much of a tyrant her mother is.

Sometimes Emma thinks there's something there between them. Regina smiles at her so brightly, always spends time with her, and even helps her study for the finals. She still doesn't dare get her hopes up since she's certain Regina could do much better than her even if she liked girls. Emma does nothing, and eventually she comes to the conclusion there could never be anything more than friendship between them.

Then, Regina ends up dating this new guy from Mary Margaret's archery group where she also makes a new friend, Marian. The new guy has two facial expressions, and he smells like forest. The smallest bit of hope that Regina could ever reciprocate Emma's feelings is yanked away from her that day, and it breaks Emma's heart.

* * *

Emma is feeling light as she walks down the school hallway after her English final. She thinks that she most likely passed all her exams, thanks to Regina's (and Mary Margaret's) help. Her thoughts are drifting to the approaching holidays when she hears Marian's voice around the corner.

"Pero si no te interesa, ¿por qué estás saliendo con él?" Marian says. Emma is upset she dropped Spanish in her previous school, because all she can understand is "con."

"No sé, El es buena gente y estaba interesado. Y no puedo esperar toda mi vida por _ella._ Hace _seis_ meses que nos conocemos y nada," Regina explains very fast, and Emma doesn't understand anything.

"Um, hi," she says as she walks around the corner, faced with Regina and Marian.

"Oh, hi, Emma," Marian says. "We were just talking about you."

"Oh," Emma mutters, unsure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

"Good things," Marian adds as she flashes her a smile. "Are you guys going to Granny's again tomorrow? I know you go every Friday."

"Um, yeah, I mean, I guess," Emma says. She feels confused why Marian is asking her when Regina's right next to her. "I mean, unless you already have plans with your boyfriend, which I'd totally get." She can't expect Regina to keep hanging out with her every Friday, especially now that she's with someone. She's expecting Regina to tell her she can't go out tomorrow, because that's what always happens to Emma: people find something better.

To Emma's surprise, Regina answers, "Of course we're still going." She smiles, and Emma knows she's honestly so fucked, but she agrees they'll meet tomorrow at their usual place before she runs to the gym to meet up with her newfound friend, Mulan.

* * *

"So, Regina still with Robin?" Mulan suddenly asks after putting down the barbellshe's been lifting.

Emma is surprised by the question. It's not that they don't talk at all - Emma has spent a lot of time complaining about Robin now that she thinks of it - but Mulan doesn't usually ask too many questions. She's become a stable friend Emma can talk to if she wants to, but who doesn't push her limits and is just as happy to work out in silence as Emma is.

"Yeah, how come?" Emma stops hitting the punching bag she's been releasing all her aggressions on recently.

"I was just wondering. You have an _I hate Robin_ face and you were showing it just now," she asserts as she picks up her water bottle. The gym is empty today, everyone else either celebrating finishing their finals or studying for the next one, so no one other than Emma hears Mulan's comment.

"I don't," Emma says, even though Mulan is probably right and she most likely does.

"You do, but that's none of my business," she says and gulps down some water.

"That's right. It's not," Emma retorts and punches the bag a few more times. "It's just that… It all happened so fast. I can't get used to seeing Regina with him. It was like bam, destiny. For some reason they are like total soulmates and supposed to be together. But why? I just don't see…" her voice fades and she starts punching the bag again.

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Mulan mutters as she gets on her back again and starts lifting the barbell. Emma knows she's most likely talking about her feelings towards Aurora. They've never really explicitly discussed the issue, but Emma isn't blind.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" she asks. She's stopped punching the bag again.

"No," Mulan responds sternly.

"Okay," she says, deciding not to push it any further. They keep working out in silence.

* * *

Regina's father passes away one week before graduation. It's absolutely terrible, even though Regina tells her it's been a long time coming. It hurts Emma to see Regina like this, so heartbroken and hopeless.

"The worst thing is mother still wants to hold the graduation party as if we aren't grieving. Or maybe she's not. But I certainly am," Regina explains as angry tears well in her eyes. "She'll probably think it's good to have the two events close to each other so our family can stay over the entire time."

"I'm so sorry," Emma says. She's getting fed up with Cora's lack of sympathy and how it's doing nothing to help Regina who is already suffering immensely because of her loss.

"I really need to get out, away from the house after the funeral. I can't stay here any longer," Regina sighs. She puts her head on Emma's shoulder as if it's the most common thing in the world, and Emma puts her arm around Regina's, trying to comfort her even though there's nothing she can say that would make Regina feel better.

* * *

"And even though our futures and happy endings aren't always what we think they will be, I'm sure studying here has pointed us in the right direction," Mary Margaret finishes her speech. Soon, they're throwing her hats in the air, and Emma is in a group picture with Ruby and Mary Margaret before she realizes what's happening.

Her foster parents aren't in her graduation, which doesn't exactly come as a shock to her, but Ruby's Grandmother is nice enough and has invited Emma to spend the graduation day with them. She's probably sympathetic since Ruby's mother isn't around either and she sees how close Emma has become with Ruby and Mary Margaret.

Emma scans the darkly-clad crowd in search of Regina and finally spots her fifty feet away from her. Regina doesn't notice her at first, her mother trying to force her to smile while someone's taking pictures of her. First, the photographer takes several photos of Regina alone, and then a few with Cora and Regina's older sister, Zelena, who's flown back to Storybrooke for the graduation and funeral.

When Regina notices her, she shows a smile that's more genuine than any of the ones she's been aiming at the camera, albeit she still doesn't seem particularly happy.

Emma smiles back at her and watches Regina leave the photography session, much to Cora's dismay. She makes her way through the crowd closely followed by Cora and Zelena.

"Happy graduation, Emma," Regina says as she gives her a hug. Emma is surprised by the public display of affection, but she still responds to the hug and doesn't let go until Cora is standing right next to them.

"So, I see you've made… a friend during your short time here," Cora points out, aversion all over her features.

"So Regina has a _gal pal._ Just let it go, mother," Zelena says, seemingly bored by the conversation. She puts on her green-rimmed sunglasses that match her dress and turns her gaze to the crowd.

"Zelena, dear, you must understand I am only concerned for Regina's future. It was one thing when she wanted to transfer… _here,"_ Cora says sternly. She looks like she's smelling something foul when she utters the last word. "But I won't watch her make the same mistakes you did. I have big plans for her. I need someone to be proud of."

"Excuse me," Emma says, because no matter how lowly she thinks of herself, she won't be talked to like this.

"Mother," Regina interrupts Emma, her voice an octave higher. "I won't have you talk to Emma like that. Or Zelena."

"Sure, my dear," Cora responds. She sounds more amused than anything. Her condescending expression makes Emma see red. "We should really get going, though. I need to go supervise the caterers."

"I don't even know why I came here," Zelena mutters as she shakes her head.

"Because of dad's funeral," Regina answers, her tone all but unamused.

"Yeah, right. Dad's. Right, mother?" Zelena says.

"I don't know what you're trying to imply, Zelena. We really need to get going."

Emma knows what Zelena is implying. Regina has told Emma her dad isn't Zelena's biological father, although Cora has never admitted it out loud. According to Regina, Zelena has never been mad at their father, but ever since she realized the truth, she's been making snippy comments at their mother. Now that Emma sees Zelena, she's certain the sisters know the truth; even though Regina and Zelena share some of their mother's features, they look very different. Regina's raven brows and olive skin are dark in comparison to Zelena's ginger hair and milky white complexion that's bound to be burnt by the hot midday sun.

"Say goodbye to your _friend,_ Regina," Cora says. It comes out as an order, and Emma can see Regina mentally count to ten before she gives Emma one more hug.

"I'm sorry. I really need to talk to you later," Regina whispers into the hug before she's hurrying after Cora.

* * *

Mary Margaret spends the day at her party, so Emma doesn't see her much between the graduation ceremony and the afterparty in the evening. From what she can gather, Mary Margaret's father has gone all out on his only daughter's graduation and the party resembles a royal gathering. The same can probably be said about Regina's mother, although Emma has no information to actually back up her guess since Regina has been hard to reach all day.

Ruby's party (which is also Emma's, Ruby's grandmother insists) turns out very nice. It's held at the diner, and there are a few dozen people coming over to congratulate Ruby. Emma is allowed to eat as much as she can, so she's happy with the party. She tastes every food during the day, taking second and third helpings of her favorites later. She's not used to these kinds of luxuries in her life. Since she never really expected to graduate high school in the first place, the day has been a success overall (apart from Regina not responding to her texts after a certain point).

_I'll meet you at the afterparty._

So, from 10pm on Emma waits for her. She has tried to call Regina a few times, but she's met with the sound of Regina telling her to leave a message, which doesn't exactly make her feel any better.

Mary Margaret arrives to the party with an engagement ring on her finger. David apparently popped the question at the graduation party.

"It was like from a movie! But we aren't going to get married just yet, though," Mary Margaret explains to Emma, Ruby, and Belle, who is a year younger and head of a book club. "We have some other things to conquer first."

"Congratulations," Belle says, a smile on her lips.

"Yeah, congrats! And I'm gonna be the maid of honor, right?" Ruby asks as she embraces her friend.

"Yes, I would say so," Mary Margaret laughs into the hug. "And Emma will be a bridesmaid, right?"

"Yeah," Emma replies quietly, smiling. She never believed she'd settle down anywhere long enough for anyone to ask her to be her bridesmaid. "I will. Congratulations."

"Oh, there's Ashley and Tiana! I'll be right back!" Mary Margaret says before leaving the scene.

Emma flashes her a small smile before taking another look at her phone. "I wonder…"

"Emma, I'm sure she's fine. Her mom probably has some high class party thing going on and she can't leave," Ruby tries to assure her for the fifth time.

"Yeah," she responds, hoping Ruby is right.

Even though Emma has reached a state where she's accepted her feelings toward her friend and knows Regina doesn't feel the same way, she's really anxious to talk to Regina tonight. It's graduation, and Regina should be there. As her friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

Eventually, Ruby and Belle go to the dancefloor whereas Emma just doesn't feel up to it. She's starting to feel like a third wheel in the company of the two girls, even though they haven't exactly said anything. Soon, she ends up thinking about Mary Margaret and David and wonders if Robin has proposed at Regina's party, too. The thought makes Emma's insides twist in disgust and her heart hurt.

She stands between the door and the dancefloor for a while, almost obsessively checking her phone until she can hear a familiar voice behind her.

"Emma," Regina says, her tone warm.

"Regina," she replies, feeling ridiculously relieved Regina's actually there in front of her like she said she would be. "How was the party?"

Regina tells her the party was awful, her mother having alternated between ignoring her husband's death and telling everyone the future she had planned for Regina from career to marriage.

Regina looks nervous as she continues, and she finally looks down and says, "But I won't have to live in the same house with her much longer. I got a scholarship, and... I'm going to New York."

Emma's mouth falls open. She's shocked by the sudden change in Regina's plans, even though she knew Regina would leave the town one day. She still thought they'd have this summer, at least. She's not ready to… "When?"

"Next week," Regina replies, and Emma can feel the ground beneath her feet crumble. "I'll stay for my father's funeral, but I'll leave after that. My first classes in Columbia start in a few weeks, and dad was the reason I was staying here, anyway. Unless…"

"What?" she asks.

"Nothing." Regina shakes her head. She stays silent for a while. "Come visit me?"

"I will when I have the money," Emma responds truthfully. She doesn't really have any extra money, and she has a feeling her foster family isn't going to lend her any so she can travel to New York.

"I'll…" Regina gets lost in thought for a second. She's looking at her feet and seeming more uncertain than Emma has ever seen her. "I'll honestly pay any tickets for you. Just let me know if you wanna come, and I'll pay. Okay?"

Neither of them says anything for a few seconds, but then Emma replies, "Yeah, I'll see you there," and maybe she even believes that she will.

* * *

Sadly, she never ends up seeing Regina in New York.

It's weird. They became good friends during their short time together, but over the summer Emma distances herself. She doesn't feel good enough for Regina or what she needs right now. She doesn't feel like talking with Regina does her any good, either. It does, every time she messages Regina, but when they stop talking, Emma is filled with a hollow feeling of wanting more and just wanting to _tell_ Regina how wonderful she is and how madly in love she's fallen with her, but she just _can't._

So they talk. And then they don't talk, because distance is probably what's best for her. When she's alone and about to fall asleep at night, she cries because her heart hurts and she misses Regina. She misses her smile and her voice and she even misses her snippy remarks. She wants to spend every day of her life with Regina, but that's not an option.

Regina seems to have company in New York, anyway. The new guy, _Robin_ , Emma corrects herself, is in some photos Regina has been tagged in on Facebook, and Emma just wants to punch the guy in his stupid self-righteous face even though he's technically doing nothing wrong.

She and Regina completely drift apart in less than a year. Regina likes a few of her pictures and Facebook statuses, but doesn't comment on them, and Emma likes Regina's pictures back. Some of them are angry likes _(How dare she look this good?)_ that usually turn into sad likes _(She misses Regina so much)._

Eventually, Emma hides Regina from showing up on her timeline and moves on. Regina doesn't contact Emma when she's visiting her mother in Storybrooke, and Emma doesn't contact Regina even when she finally travels to New York nine years later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't really planning to use the Spanish convo, but then my beta was really digging it, so I left it there anyway :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, hello, I'm back! Sorry for the cliffhanger.
> 
> Thanks to Ari (swanedmills on tumblr) for beta reading this whole story!
> 
> Oh, and the translation for the Spanish lines from last time because someone asked me: "But if you're not interested in him, why are you going out with him?" Marian says...  
> "I don't know. He's a good person, and he was interested. I can't wait all my life for _her_."
> 
> Okay, here's the last chapter. I hope you like it!

**_New York, 9 years later_ **

 

Emma is smiling. She's surrounded by loud music and people waving rainbow flags in warm June air. Ruby is waving one on her right side next to Mulan, and Mary Margaret's smiling a bit timidly on her left side.

Emma's spent a week together with each of them every summer, no matter where they have lived. She currently lives in Boston, but she doesn't really feel it's all that permanent or that she's found her home. Mary Margaret, on the other hand, seems to be content with her life in Storybrooke with an occasional adventure somewhere else; she and David had a baby two years ago. Ruby enjoys her life in New York, whereas Mulan surprisingly became Emma's roommate three years ago when Emma first moved to Boston. After that, their group of three automatically became four.

"We should grab some lunch soon," Ruby suggests as they try to make their way out of the crowd. "Where do you guys wanna go?"

Emma is just about to answer when she bumps into a brunette in a grey pantsuit walking past them. Who wears a pantsuit in this heat, anyway?

"I'm sorry," she apologizes, but her mouth is left hanging open just a second later when the woman turns her head towards her. _It's Regina._

Regina seems to be just as startled as she is. "Emma," she says, her eyes wide and her voice barely a whisper.

For a moment, time seems to stand still, neither of them making a sound as people walk past them. Emma can't stop looking at Regina. She's _older_. Apart from the pantsuit and a hairdo that barely reaches her shoulders, the look in her eyes is more mature than it was on graduation night. Emma didn't think that was possible.

"Regina, I thought I lost you…" a voice sounds behind Emma, and she turns around. It takes her a second to recognize the speaker as Marian. Her hair is shorter now, too, and she's carrying a dark-haired baby. "Oh, my God."

"Marian," Mary Margaret says after another awkward pause, her voice suspiciously chipper, "We should catch up. Ruby, Mulan, and I were just about to get lunch. Would you like to join us?"

Emma is so shocked that it takes her a while to understand what Mary Margaret is doing, and when she does, it's too late.

"That sounds like a great idea," Marian says almost as enthusiastically as Mary Margaret. "I can't wait to catch up with all of you. You're Mulan, right?" Marian smirks, her gaze shifting from Mary Margaret to Mulan.

"Yeah, uhm, hi," Mulan says, her expression a bit surprised before she walks closer to Marian. Suddenly, the four women and the kid have disappeared, and Emma is left alone with Regina.

"I see Mary Margaret still hasn't stopped meddling with other people's business," Regina mutters as she picks invisible lint on her sleeve. Her irritated expression is the exact replica of the one she used to wear so often in high school, and it makes Emma's heart ache. She raises her head, and dark eyes bore into Emma. "I thought you promised to tell me if you ever were in New York."

Right. That.

"Yeah, I…" Emma doesn't know how to go on. " _I'm sorry but seeing you now makes me feel like a day hasn't passed since graduation"_ doesn't quite fit this situation, and neither does, " _I was so ridiculously in love with you I just didn't know how to keep in touch anymore when I knew you would be better off without me."_

"I'm sorry about that," Emma finally says. Then, her mouth has a mind of its own when she continues, "I missed you."

She's absolutely horrified by her words. She isn't supposed to show these kind of emotions. It's taken her months, years, to get over Regina, and there she is, telling her how she's missed her.

Regina's annoyed expression changes and her features become softer, which makes Emma's stomach flip. She honestly wasn't prepared for this. She could've had weeks to practice and she still wouldn't know how to handle meeting Regina again.

"I've missed you too, Emma," Regina tells her. There's a hint of a smile on her lips, invisible to someone who has never spent time with Regina, but completely visible to her.

"So," Emma continues. "You wanna get coffee or something maybe?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Regina responds and flashes her a smile Emma hasn't seen in nine years. Her heart melts. All the longing is back. She just wants to bring her hand to Regina's cheek and run her fingers through her hair and hold her close. Just once. Just…

"Emma?" Regina's voice pulls Emma back from her thoughts.

"Yeah, coffee. Sorry."

* * *

"So," Emma starts after they've sat down in the nearest Starbucks. "Are you at Pride?"

Regina's eyebrows shoot up, and Emma mentally chastises herself. She should've just asked about what Regina's been doing lately or what she thinks of the weather.

"Really, Emma?" she asks. There isn't any malice in her voice, she sounds like a mixture of tired and surprised.

"Sorry, I'm… How's the…"

"It's called LGBTQ+ for a reason, Emma. Not only gay people celebrate Pride," Regina cuts her off and sips her latte.

Emma is about to ask how Regina even knows she's gay when she's never explicitly come out to her, but then another thought comes to her. What if -

"Don't act so surprised. It was right there and Marian asked me if I'd like to go. I actually quite enjoy the atmosphere, although I admit it's a bit too loud for Henry. I should probably think twice before bringing him into such a big crowd."

Oh. "So Marian's…"

"Emma, _I'm_ bisexual, and I thought I could celebrate," she says matter-of-factly after sipping her coffee again.

Emma wants to scream. Her thoughts are running a hundred miles per minute. Regina isn't straight. Regina wouldn't have necessarily been unavailable to her in high school. Regina likes women. Regina…

Came here with Marian.

"Are you and Marian…?" she asks, throwing subtlety to the wind before she can stop herself. Regina's not wearing a ring, but she wonders if Marian is her girlfriend.

Regina lets out a small good-natured laugh that Emma hasn't heard in almost a decade, and she's enthralled by the sound. She missed Regina's laugh. "No. She's a good friend. She helps me with Henry sometimes. Being a single parent is a full-time job."

Regina is single. Regina is bisexual. Regina isn't… too mad at her, it would seem. Emma feels over the moon for a minute before her insecurities get the best of her. Why would Regina want her? Why would anyone?

"So, you're a mom," she changes the subject, trying to distract herself for the myriad of emotions she's currently feeling.

"Yes," Regina says and her eyes shine. "My son's name is Henry, and he's six months old. He's the best thing in my life."

Regina's smile makes Emma smile. She looks so happy when she talks about her son. Emma is surprised she didn't know, but then again, why would she have?

"I'm glad," Emma replies. She can't really remember Regina smiling the way she smiles when she talks about Henry.

"I just felt like there was something missing. I thought there should be something more in my life than being a city councilwoman, and I really always wanted to be a mother, so… Now I have Henry." Regina smiles before her tone turns more serious. "Mother didn't approve, of course. She said I shouldn't get any children before I married - she still tries to set me up with old men whenever we talk, but luckily she's not going to do much harm all the way from Maine."

"So you really did name your kid after your dad," Emma says.

A wistful smile appears on Regina's lips. "Yes, I did."

"He'd be happy."

"Yes, well," Regina says as she uncharacteristically plays with the rim of her coffee cup. Her dark red nails are short and manicured.

After a moment of silence, Regina asks, "Why didn't you want to stay in touch?" She looks a bit more awkward and uncertain than she usually does, and it takes all of Emma's willpower to keep from hugging her. "I mean, we did, at first, but…"

Emma takes a deep breath. It's now or never. She has nothing to lose, not really. She'll get to say what she's always wanted to say, and she can be out of Regina's life the next minute.

"It was honestly too hard," she confesses, her gaze fixated on Regina's coffee instead of her face. "I was young. I had fallen in love with you so badly, and I just didn't know what to do. And you had Robin, and it was never me. We were friends. I didn't wanna ruin that."

Regina doesn't respond for a minute. All Emma can hear is the distant chatter of the other customers and the mumbled celebratory screams coming from outside. She's still too afraid to look at Regina in the face, every cell in her body telling her to run while she still can.

"You idiot," Regina says.

The woman's tone makes Emma raise her gaze. She originally thought Regina would be mad at her, or maybe apologetic or full of contempt, but she's actually smiling at her. She looks like she's really trying to act upset, but she's actually incredibly happy.

"It was always you, Emma," she continues.

"What?" Emma's dumbfounded. She's heard what Regina said, but she can't believe it. Maybe this is a dream, one of those she used to have when she was trying to get over Regina after high school, because it's so absurd.

Regina rolls her eyes. "I like you too. I honestly missed you after you… we stopped talking. I don't often admit this, but I was to blame there, too. Back then, I felt like you should've come forward with your feelings yourself; I didn't want to push you. But I probably should've indicated more explicitly that I was actually interested in being something more than friends."

Emma doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. No matter how lowly she still thinks of herself from time to time, how she's not good enough and could never be worthy of Regina, right now she feels she's actually wanted for once. Regina reciprocated her feelings, after all these years, after Emma not keeping in touch. Her head is spinning.

"Um, yeah," she responds, unable to form a coherent sentence. She finds both breathing and forming words incredibly difficult. "I should've probably… said something."

There's a chime of a phone and Regina fiddles with her purse.

"It could be about Henry," she mutters. Emma finds Regina's worry and love for her son incredibly becoming; being a mother certainly suits Regina and she seems like the kind of parent every kid in the system would dream of.

"It's Marian," Regina says, her tone lighter. She rolls her eyes. "She seems very interested in what's happening right now, and she also says everything's fine with Henry and they're going to Central Park."

"Okay," Emma says. She hasn't gotten any messages yet, but she supposes it's only a matter of time before she's faced with questions she doesn't know how to answer.

"So, what's happening in your life?" Regina asks as she puts her phone back into her purse. She flashes Emma a smile and makes her feel like no time has passed since high school; Emma's stomach is doing somersaults and she finds it hard to think straight.

"Well, I live in Boston, and I'm a bail bondsperson," she starts and gives Regina a short summary about what she's doing for living. There's not that much to tell, since unlike Regina, she doesn't have a family to talk about. Regina still listens to her with great interest, just like she always has. "So, yeah, that's what I do. Boston doesn't really feel like home, but it's fine. I've been thinking about New York, though. It has its appeal."

"No girlfriend?" Regina asks, her face partly hidden behind her coffee.

"No girlfriend," Emma answers. She holds a small break, before asking, "You aren't with anyone either, right? You said you're a single mom." She has to know for certain.

"Yes, there isn't much time for anyone else other than Henry in my life. He's everything," Regina looks at her and probably sees her face fall. "I don't mean I wouldn't have time to have you in my life again, though. That would be most welcome."

Emma can't help but smile. She wishes they had had this conversation years earlier. "Yeah, I'd really like that. I'm not gonna run away this time." When she says the words, she knows really won't. She's not making the same mistake twice.

They eventually make their way back to the loud crowd outside. The whole situation is overwhelming; her hands are sweating, breathing is hard, and her stomach is full of butterflies. She simultaneously wants to grab Regina by the lapels of her blazer and kiss her and run in the opposite direction.

"How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted?" Regina suddenly asks. "I happen to have some at home."

"You got anything stronger than that?" she replies without thinking much.

"Emma." Regina rolls her eyes.

"Sorry. It's been a long day." A long and an emotional day. She's surprised she's still standing. "I'd love some. Thanks."

"We could go there and Marian will bring Henry over later. We could invite her and your friends over for dinner?" Regina suggests, and Emma knows it's a lot coming from her since she probably still doesn't think all that highly of Mary Margaret.

"Sounds great."

Almost out of the blue, Regina takes her hand in hers and holds it. Emma doesn't know how her hand can be so cool and soft in this heat; it feels like ice compared to her clammy one. Regina doesn't seem to mind as her other hand places a strand of hair that's fallen out of Emma's ponytail behind her ear. Her hand stays on Emma's neck, and she takes a small step forward, suddenly standing very close to Emma.

Time seems to stop for a second as Regina's dark eyes bore into hers, asking a question without uttering the words out loud. Emma's gaze falls to Regina's lips, and she licks hers as she tries to keep her breathing even. Regina is so very close and suddenly leaning in even closer, her eyes closing and her soft painted lips brushing against Emma's.

The kiss is over too soon. Regina pulls away, a smile on her lips and her hand leaving Emma's neck.

"We should probably go," Regina suggests. Her hand is still in Emma's as she turns around and starts walking.

"Regina, wait," Emma says, standing in the same spot and still holding Regina's hand.

Regina turns to look at her again with a slightly confused look in her eyes. Emma surges forward, probably with too much fervour, but she can't help herself. She kisses Regina again, with more enthusiasm than the first time as she gently pulls Regina's lower lip between hers. She can feel Regina relax into the kiss, a content sigh leaving her as Emma's arms find their way to Regina's waist.

They stand there for a while, kissing in the middle of the crowd. It feels good to feel Regina's body against hers, to kiss her, to have Regina responding to the kiss and know that Regina feels this way about her too. Regina's hand is on Emma's chest when they break for air.

"Happy Pride, Emma," Regina says after taking a look at a few passers-by carrying rainbow flags.

"Happy Pride, Regina," she responds and smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this fic and being patient with me… I know writing (or more like publishing) this has taken me ages (I've been concentrating on my Vegas fic), but I felt like I should really finish this for Pride month…. ~~Which I didn't, although my hometown will have its first Pride day/event tomorrow… So I was kinda on time.~~
> 
> Anyway, I can't believe two years ago I practically refused to read AUs, and now I actually wrote one. Weird. Let me know your thoughts?


End file.
